Seed to Table: Pisum sativum L.
We owe peas a debt of gratitude. Their beautiful, bisexual, self-pollinating flowers allowed Gregor Mendel to unlock the fundamental principles of inherited genetics. Through studying these delicate, undulating plants he discovered that traits are reliably transmitted from parent to child in predictable patterns. That information not only paved the way for selective plant breeding, it laid the foundation for the mapping of the human genome.
The common pea (Pisum sativum) is a generous plant, offering not only its delicious, pearly green fruit (yes, fruit!) but also its tender, immature shoots. Pea shoots are commonly used in Asian cooking, often sautéed with aromatics and served wilted. I find raw pea shoots to be just as appealing, their leaves and tendrils infused with the earthy flavor of the fruit yet to come. I’ve assembled this simple salad several times over the last few weeks and have yet to tire of it. The balsamic pearls can be made ahead or omitted entirely in favor of a balsamic vinaigrette.
If you are growing your own pea shoots from seed — which I highly recommend, harvest when they are 3”-4” tall. I personally am devoted to Row 7 Seeds Sweet Wave Snow Pea blend.
Before.
Pea Shoots with Asparagus, Buratta and Balsamic Pearls
Ingredients
6 oz pea shoots
1 lb of fresh buratta
1 lb of asparagus, woody stems trimmed
2 tbsp of fresh chives, finely chopped
3-5 chive blossoms
Flaky sea salt
Black pepper
For the Balsamic Pearls
2/3 cup rose balsamic vinegar
2 tsp agar-agar powder
3/4 cup olive oil
Method
Rinse and dry pea shoots, trim away and long sections of stem so that mostly leaves and tendrils remain.
Pull individual chive florets from the blossom. Set aside.
To blanch asparagus, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath. Blanch the asparagus in the boiling water for one minute and immediately submerge in ice bath for one minute. Drain and dry asparagus and chop diagonally into inch-long pieces. Set aside.
For the balsamic pearls, place the olive oil in the freezer for 30 minutes. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar and agar-agar powder. Cook for about 2 minutes until the powder is fully dissolved. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Using a squeeze bottle, gently drop the warm balsamic into the cold olive oil to form pearls. Strain the pearls from the olive oil and set aside.
On a large platter, gently combine the pea shoots and asparagus. Pull the burrata into four to six large pieces. Sprinkle the finely chopped chives and chive florets over the mixture. Gently spoon balsamic pearls over the entire salad. Drizzle with good quality olive oil, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve alone, or with thick cut rustic bread.
Serves 4-6
Notes: The balsamic pearls add lovely texture, both visually and on the palate. However, if you opt out the salad is just as delicious with a vinaigrette made of 2 parts olive oil and 1 part rosé balsamic or champagne vinegar.
Before before. What grows together goes together.
